About Us
We are a network of organisations and individuals with a passion for participatory arts and an understanding that working together to strengthen support for those working in the field will bring benefits for everyone involved.
Coming together as ArtWorks Alliance enables us to do more – more swiftly – to develop participatory arts than we can each achieve on our own. We can support better both the organisations delivering participatory arts and the artists working in the field, leading to higher quality experiences for participants.
Our work is ambitious and far-sighted. Find out more about us here and explore the different ways you can join in.
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We’ve been supported by…
ArtWorks Alliance was initiated with funding from Paul Hamlyn Foundation. It is currently collectively self-supported through member contributions to core costs on a ‘pay as you can’ basis, having received emergency funding from Arts Council England during 2020 through member Sound Sense.
ArtWorks: Developing practice in participatory settings was originally developed by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation.
Our Knowledge Bank
ArtWorks Alliance has created a huge library of research materials, reports and other resources. These all feature in our Knowledge Bank which is fully searchable and being added to all the time – and its free to everyone to use.
Featured Resources
All Resources
Case Studies
Evaluations & Reports
Featured
Latest
Research
Toolkits & Guidance
Videos
ArtWorks Cymru Quality Principles
Quality principles for intention, activity and people.
Author: ArtWorks Cymru
ArtWorks Scotland: Is this the best it can be?
Guidance and toolkit for delivering participatory arts.
Author: ArtWorks Scotland
Latest Resources
All Resources
Case Studies
Evaluations & Reports
Featured
Latest
Research
Toolkits & Guidance
Videos
A holistic approach for quality in participatory arts: Impacts on practice experienced by artists in Scotland, Wales and Portugal
Using quality models.
Author: Rachel Blanche
Stitching Together: Good Practice Guidelines
Advice for facilitators of participatory textile making workshops and projects.
Author: Amy Twigger Holroyd and Emma Shercliff
Featured Resources
Latest Resources
All Resources
Case Studies
Evaluations & Reports
Featured
Latest
Research
Toolkits & Guidance
Videos
ArtWorks Cymru Quality Principles
Quality principles for intention, activity and people.
Author: ArtWorks Cymru
ArtWorks Scotland: Is this the best it can be?
Guidance and toolkit for delivering participatory arts.
Author: ArtWorks Scotland
All Resources
Case Studies
Evaluations & Reports
Featured
Latest
Research
Toolkits & Guidance
Videos
A holistic approach for quality in participatory arts: Impacts on practice experienced by artists in Scotland, Wales and Portugal
Using quality models.
Author: Rachel Blanche
Stitching Together: Good Practice Guidelines
Advice for facilitators of participatory textile making workshops and projects.
Author: Amy Twigger Holroyd and Emma Shercliff
News & Views
Now more than ever
AWA member Roxane Permar from the University of the Highlands and Islands explores why we need MA courses for participatory artists now more than ever and proposes an archipelagic perspective for thinking about social art practice and higher education.
Let’s focus on the future
Ben Vleminckx, Chief Executive of member Evolve Music, shares how they’re working with emerging and established music leaders on workforce development and invites you to contribute to the conversation about best practice.
Historical parallels and contemporary considerations
Amy Twigger Holroyd and Emma Shercliff, coordinators of the Stitching Together network, discuss the long history of participatory textile making projects and outline some of the benefits and challenges encountered when making textiles with others today.
Let’s change our minds about change
JoJo Spinks from Interwoven Productions CIC explores the Capability Approach for measuring quality of life from participatory arts work as a push back against prescribed outcomes such as improved health, wellbeing and environment.